


Nice Reminders

by Jemppu



Series: Honey Mushroom [29]
Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Art, Culmets - Freeform, Fanart, M/M, Tumblr, honey mushroom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:35:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23837005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jemppu/pseuds/Jemppu
Summary: Part of"Honey Mushroom"series of illustrated Culmets momentslisted here on tumblr.Snippet of Paul 'just appreciating'.With illustration:"Fine Memories"
Relationships: Hugh Culber/Paul Stamets
Series: Honey Mushroom [29]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1080993
Kudos: 9





	Nice Reminders

**Author's Note:**

> The series gets released quite out of order, as inspiration dictates, so I urge you to check out the [series list on tumblr](https://tinyurl.com/honeyshroom) for a better picture of the whole.

## 

## Nice Reminders 

Hugh can sense Paul hovering about him a good while before relenting and turning his gaze at the scientist.

“What is this?” he sighs at the sight of Paul pointing his PADD at the doctor, seemingly busy recording.  
  
“For research. Highly scientific”, Paul smiles the widest of smiles, sounding very pleased with himself, “Just recording a fine specimen of the human male. A true _‘speciman’_ , if you will. A rarity in these parts of the galaxy”.  
  
“You do this with all the _‘fine specimen’_ you encounter?” Hugh quips dryly, attempting to disregard the researcher, but can’t help a faint smile, “I might want to take a look at that device of yours at some point”.  
  
There’s a chuckle from the man, but the lens stays on the doctor keenly.  
  
“I believe there are approximately 110 of the human species in close proximity currently”, Hugh states from his task of emptying the day’s first cup of coffee, not feeling quite awake enough yet to fully commit to this friskiness, “About half of them male”. An attempt to hint Paul on his opinion on this current attention he’s getting.  
  
“You want me to go study them instead?” Paul snarks back with the persistent smile, while continuing uninterrupted, “I don’t think I’d find another sample this nice”.  
  
“Well, I don’t care for you to preserve evidence of this particular one right now. Not in this unrefined a state”, there’s a tone of seriousness in Hugh’s voice as he scratches his stubbled cheek, “besides, I have a hunch, that such a recording will only give you one more incentive never to get your ass out of the Engineering”.

“You want some of this? You come home to experience it”, he adds firmly.  
  
“Duly noted”, Paul snickers at the man’s feistiness ,”This will surely act as a reminder of what I’d be missing”. He proceeds to make a final hasty sweep across the man.

” _The ‘speciman’, while fine looking despite modest protests, demonstrates unfortunate patterns of scything snark in situations of irritation_ “, he narrates playfully, before heeding the tone and turning the device away.  
  
” _However, - in a still hopeful notion to it’s observer - such behavior has also been recognized as a prevailing part of rituals preceding copulation_ “, he smirks, and hits 'save’ on the recording.  
  
"You’re right on one of those”, Hugh shrugs, and rises from his sitting position, “this _'fine sample’_ needs to get dressed and head to work”.  
  
“Aww”, Paul laments watching Hugh disappear into the bathroom. “See? This **will** come handy right away”, Paul remarks after the man, smiling to himself as he swipes the recording to it’s correct directory and turns to other tasks on his PADD.  
  
“Hah!” Hugh’s acknowledging reply sounds from the bathroom.  
  
A moment of silence falls into the room, only faint noises of running water and preparation echoing from the bathroom, before the doctor steps back out, refreshed and with his gear in hand. Paul turns his gaze up enough to appreciatively register the sight of the man pulling on his uniform undershirt over his well defined form.

Hugh walks by Paul. “Hopefully not **too** _'handy’_ ”, the doctor smiles, and leans in to give his man a quick kiss, while putting on the uniform jacket, “I mean what I said about coming home. I hope you’ll have some of that enthusiasm left for the evening. You’re free, right?”.  
  
“I ought to”, Paul confirms, despite an inherent doubt in the back of his mind, which he hopes unnecessary.  
  
“Good. See you then, Mushroom”, Hugh smiles and turns to leave.  
  
“See you, Love. Have a quiet day”, Paul wishes, like he often does: more idle a sickbay means less people sick, right?  
  
“And you a customarily noisy one, Honey”, Hugh smiles as Paul frowns for the thought.  
  
“I’ll be listening you make the ship hum”, the doctor adds affectionately, assuring it’s not a jab at Paul’s dismay for the crowded working conditions he’s expressing, but a nod to Dear Doctor’s own best reminder of his Chief Engineer’s presence all around aboard this ship.

The general homely hum of the engines is a nice and real enough reminder to render any recordings unnecessary.

**Author's Note:**

> Thoughts on the work posted along with the illustration on [**tumblr**](https://jmalkki.tumblr.com/post/182473617014/fine-memories-some-appreciative-and-mostly).
> 
> _Likes, shares, comments and what have you, all appreciated on:_  
>  _[ **tumblr**](http://jmalkki.tumblr.com/) | [**twitter**](https://twitter.com/Jemppu) | [**instagram**](https://www.instagram.com/jeminamalkki/) | [**DeviantArt**](https://www.deviantart.com/jemppu)_


End file.
